FAQ's

Where do I drop off and collect my child ?

Children should not arrive at school before 8.30am and members of staff will open the doors at 8.40am.

Up to and including Year 4, children are expected to be collected after school by an adult from their contact list. However if your child is in Year 5 or 6 they may walk home on their own providing we have written permission from the parent or carer. Forms to authorise children walking home are available from the school office and issued at the beginning of years 5 & 6.

Children should arrive and depart the school as follows:

Reception Children

Enter and depart via the reception class room doors

Key Stage 1: (Years 1 – 2)

Enter and depart via the class room doors. At the end of the day children are also dismissed from class by a member of staff from their external classroom doors.

Key Stage 2: (Years 3 & 4)

Enter and depart via the external classroom doors

Key Stage 2: (Years 5 – 6)

Enter and depart via the junior playground door

What do I do if my child is absent from school ?

Please contact the school office on 01293 527473 and leave a message on the school absence answer machine service (option 1) and follow up with a letter or email to report the absence.

What happens if I am late collecting my child ?

In an emergency, if parents are detained and will be late to collect their child please contact the school office on 01293 527473.

Children will be brought from class to wait in the foyer.

What happens if someone else is collecting my child ?

If any adult other than those on your contact list is going to be collecting your child, please make arrangements and let the class teacher know or send in a letter with your child in advance.

If there are any unexpected circumstances that lead to you not being able to tell the class teacher in advance the school office cannot guarantee that they can communicate last minute messages during the school day, although every effort will be made to do so.

What do I do if my child needs medicine during the school day ?

The Oaks Primary School Staff do not have a statutory duty to give medicines or medical treatment. However medicines will be administered if appropriate as we wish to enable the inclusion of pupils with medical needs, promote regular attendance and minimise the impact on a pupil’s ability to learn.

If your child requires regular, daily medicine, or has a medical condition, please contact the school to arrange a Health Care Plan.

Non-prescription medicines are not administered at school and pupils should not bring them to school for self-administration

Occasionally a GP may prescribe that a medicine has to be taken during the school day. Parents may either, call into school and administer the medicine to their child, or they may request that a member of school staff administers the medicine. If school staff are to administer medicine, the parent must supply the medicine in the original pharmacist’s container to the school office and must complete a ‘Request for school to administer medicine’ form. (This is applicable to one dose of medicines that are prescribed to be taken 4 times a day, it is expected that medicines prescribed 3 times a day are taken at home).

On no account should a child come to school with medicine if he/she is unwell.

How can I get more involved with School Life ?

The Friends of The Oaks (FOTO) welcome all parents to join them and get involved in a range of activities and fund raising events. You can contact them via their Facebook page, or through the school office.

If you are interested in volunteering in school please contact Mr Mainwaring, the Deputy Headteacher via the school office. All volunteers are subject to a criminal records check before working in school.

How does the school manage behaviour ?

At The Oaks we positively reward appropriate behaviours. Through the Power of Praise children develop self control and gain self confidence when they are given clear guidelines as to what is expected of them and are praised when they meet these expectations. In responding to inappropriate behaviours, our focus will be on helping children to modify their behaviour, learn from their mistakes and be supported in understanding the impact of their behaviour on others, through choices and consequences.

Please refer to both our Behaviour Guide for Parents and our Behaviour Policy for more details.

How can I support my child's learning ?

A positive attitude to learning is essential if every child is to succeed and we believe that every member of the Oaks community needs to promote the positive outcomes of learning. One key to promoting a positive attitude to learning is by learning being valued not only at school but at home too.

At the Oaks we ask you to read regularly with your children, by spending 10-15 minutes every day reading with your child will make a huge difference to their learning. By incorporating reading a story together as part of a bedtime time routine helps make an enjoyable experience for both you and your child and allows some quality spent together in increasingly busy lives.

We also ask Parents and children to spend time practising key skills such as spelling and number skills – again little an often is best.

You can also help your child’s learning at home by providing a suitably quite space and time, without distractions, where your child can work and take an interest and support your child with any homework tasks they have.

Please do not hesitate in speaking with your child’s class teacher for further advice for your child.